Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space

by Gary Kitmacher, Ron Miller, Robert Pearlman

A rich visual history of real and fictional space stations, illustrating pop culture's influence on the development of actual space stations and vice versa

Space stations represent both the summit of space technology and, possibly, the future of humanity beyond Earth. Space The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space takes the reader deep into the heart of past, present, and future space stations, both real ones and those dreamed up in popular culture. This lavishly illustrated book explains the development of space stations from the earliest fictional visions through historical and current programs--including Skylab, Mir, and the International Space Station--and on to the dawning possibilities of large-scale space colonization. Engrossing narrative and striking images explore not only the spacecraft themselves but also how humans experience life aboard them, addressing everything from the development of efficient meal preparation methods to experiments in space-based botany. The book examines cutting-edge developments in government and commercial space stations, including NASA's Deep Space Habitats, the Russian Orbital Technologies Commercial Space Station, and China's Tiangong program. Throughout, Space Stations also charts the fascinating depiction of space stations in popular culture, whether in the form of children's toys, comic-book spacecraft, settings in science-fiction novels, or the backdrop to TV series and Hollywood movies. Space Stations is a beautiful and captivating history of the idea and the reality of the space station from the nineteenth century to the present day.

Genres: Science, Space, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

Published October 30, 2018

Reviews

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read on the history and design/ development of orbiting Stations

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A better subtitle might be 'The History and Theory' considering how much time is spent on just how long and in depth humans have been seriously designing space stations, long before Mir, Skylab or the ISS. Actually quite fascinating to see how right people were getting the science as far back as the 1880's. The will and the drive has always been there to blast off into space - we just need to get cheaper rockets to do it.

[Edward Fenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this book. Lots of cool artwork and renderings of fantastic concepts along with stunning photos of real space stations, equipment, and crew - not to mention the vehicles that got them their and back and those that will In the years to come.